Temporary elastic roof membrane

ABSTRACT

A large-width, single-ply temporary membrane comprising a sheet of a linear low density polyetheylene (LLDPE) having a modulus of elasticity of at least 4 megapascals and a stretch percentage of at least 5%, wherein said sheet is self-adhering with a tensile adhesion strength of at least 1 psi when adhered to itself, and wherein said sheet is water impermeable and ultraviolet (UV) light resistant.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims priority to,utility patent application Ser. No. 17/897,937 filed Aug. 29, 2022 andtitled “Bracket and Method for Fastening Membrane to a Roof,” which is acontinuation-in-part of, and claims priority to, design patentapplication number 29/842,386 filed Jun. 13, 2022 and titled “Bracketfor Fastening Roof Cover.” The subject matter of application Ser. Nos.17/897,937 and 29/842,386 are hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The technical field relates generally to the field of residential andcommercial structural maintenance and, more specifically, relates to thefield of roof maintenance for residential and commercial structures.

BACKGROUND

Maintenance is the process of ensuring that buildings and structuresretain a good appearance and operate at optimum efficiency. Inadequatemaintenance can result in decay, degradation and reduced performance andcan affect health and threaten the safety of users, occupants, andothers in the vicinity. Building structure, and roofs in particular, areregularly subjected to harsh conditions including wind, rain, snow,heat, cold, and storms. Said conditions can cause damage to the roof, aswell as the interior of the structure. For these reasons, roofs requireregular maintenance to maintain optimum efficiency and continue toaccomplish their design goals.

When roofs suffer considerable damage, however, significant constructionor refurbishing services may be necessary. This may require an extendedperiod of time to accomplish, as contractors must be found and assignedto the job, permits must be obtained, and money must be allocated andtransferred. During this period time, the roof cannot be leftunattended, as the roof the contents of the structure may suffer furtherdamage. In these situations, therefore, temporary remedial or protectivemeasures are necessary.

Various approaches to this problem have been proposed. A well-knownapproach to this problem is to attach a temporary water-impermeablemembrane to the exterior of the roof to prevent water from penetratingthe roof while it remains damaged, also known as the blue tarp method.These approaches, however, are difficult and time-consuming toimplement. The current approaches to the problem of applying a temporarymembrane to a damaged roof do not address the issue of properly fittingthe membrane to the roof size and shape. The current approaches also donot address the issue of fastening the ends or the perimeter of themembrane to the roof. Improper fitting of the membrane to the size andshape of the roof can result in a membrane that can be removed byintense winds or permit water to enter in between the membrane and theroof. Additionally, improper fastening of the ends, or perimeter of, themembrane, can result in a membrane that is too easily removed and allowswater penetration. For these reasons, the current approaches to theproblem of applying a temporary membrane to a damaged roof areinadequate.

Additionally, the current approaches to the problem of applying atemporary membrane to a damaged roof, including the blue tarp method,add holes to the top of the roof, which can cause further water leakageinto the structure, and only last for up to 90 days. In fact, theFederal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, even categorizes the bluetarp method as only a 30-day solution. Therefore, the current approachesto the problem of applying a temporary membrane to a damaged roof aretemporary at best.

Furthermore, some of the current approaches to the problem of applying atemporary membrane to a damaged roof includes applying a live flame, viaa blow torch, to the membrane so as to shrink it in place (i.e., shrinkwrap), which is labor intensive and time consuming. In fact, whenapplying a live flame to a roof, safety precautions must be taken toprevent fire damage to the structure and prevent injuries to workers,which adds to the cost and complexity of such a method. Therefore, thecurrent approaches to the problem of applying a temporary membrane to adamaged roof can be costly and therefore too expensive for the averageconsumer.

Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art asdiscussed above, and particularly for a more efficient way of applyingtemporary remedial or protective measures onto a damaged roof.

SUMMARY

A temporary elastic roof membrane is provided. This Summary is providedto introduce a selection of disclosed concepts in a simplified form thatare further described below in the Detailed Description including thedrawings provided. This Summary is not intended to identify key featuresor essential features of the claimed subject matter. Nor is this Summaryintended to be used to limit the claimed subject matter's scope.

In one embodiment, a large-width, single-ply temporary membrane for aroof includes a sheet of a linear low density polyetheylene (LLDPE)having a modulus of elasticity of at least 4 megapascals and a stretchpercentage of at least 5%, wherein said sheet is self-adhering with atensile adhesion strength of at least 1 psi when adhered to itself; andwherein said sheet is water impermeable and ultraviolet (UV) lightresistant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this disclosure, illustrate various example embodiments. In thedrawings:

FIG. 1 is a left perspective view of a bracket for fastening a roofcover, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a right perspective view of the bracket for fastening the roofcover, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the bracket for fastening the roof cover,according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the bracket for fastening the roof cover,according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5 is bottom view of the bracket for fastening the roof cover,according to one embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the bracket for fastening the roof cover,according to one embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a left view of the bracket for fastening the roof cover,according to one embodiment; and

FIG. 8 is a right view of the bracket for fastening the roof cover,according to one embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of a perspective view of a residentialstructure with a damaged roof, as the proposed system and method fortemporary protection of a damaged roof is applied, according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 10 is an illustration of a perspective view of the residentialstructure with a damaged roof, as the proposed system and method fortemporary protection of a damaged roof is further applied, according toone embodiment;

FIG. 11 is an illustration showing construction material in the processof being wrapped in the impermeable membrane, as the proposed system andmethod for temporary protection of a damaged roof is applied, accordingto one embodiment.

FIG. 12 is an illustration showing construction material completelywrapped in the impermeable membrane and attached to the damaged roof, asthe proposed system and method for temporary protection of a damagedroof is applied, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 13 is an illustration of a side view of the bracket used to attachthe construction material and the impermeable membrane to the damagedroof, as the proposed system and method for temporary protection of adamaged roof is applied, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 14 is an illustration of a side view of the bracket used to attachthe construction material and the impermeable membrane to the damagedroof, shown in engaged orientation, as the proposed system and methodfor temporary protection of a damaged roof is applied, according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 15 is an illustration of a perspective view of the residentialstructure with a damaged roof, showing the proposed system and methodfor temporary protection of a damaged roof completely applied, accordingto one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings.Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawingsand the following description to refer to the same or similar elements.While embodiments of the claimed subject matter may be described,modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. Forexample, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to theelements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described hereinmay be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to thedisclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description doesnot limit the claimed subject matter. Instead, the proper scope of theclaimed subject matter is defined by the appended claims.

The claimed subject matter improves over the prior art by providing aneconomic, user-friendly, and effective way of temporarily protecting adamaged roof, and the contents of the structure, from further damage.The claimed subject matter is further easy to learn for workers andtimesaving to implement. The claimed subject matter further improvesover the prior art by properly fitting the membrane to the roof size andshape and properly fastening the ends or the perimeter of the membraneto the roof. Proper fitting of the membrane to the size and shape of theroof results in a membrane that cannot be removed by intense winds orpermit water to enter in between the membrane and the roof.Additionally, proper fastening of the ends, or perimeter of, themembrane, results in a membrane that is not easily removed and does notallow water penetration. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter doesnot introduce additional holes into the damaged roof and is a more thana temporary solution, as it can persist for periods of time longer than90 days. Also, the claim subject matter provides a simple and easy touse bracket for both attaching the ends of the membrane to constructionmaterial and for attaching said construction material wrapped in theimpermeable membrane to a roof without requiring any fasteners of anytype, thereby resulting in less material used and fewer man hours toaccomplish said task. Additionally, the disclosed membrane eliminatesthe need for applying heat or flame to the membrane, saving labor andtime, and eliminating the safety precautions necessary to prevent firedamage to the structure and prevent injuries to workers. Therefore, thedisclosed temporary membrane also reduces the complexity of applying themembrane and the costs of applying it, thereby making the process moreaffordable for the average consumer.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this disclosure, illustrate various example embodiments. Theclaimed system and method for temporary protection of a damaged roofwill now be described with respect to FIGS. 1 through 8 , which depict abracket 100 for fastening a roof cover to a roof, according to oneembodiment. FIGS. 1 through 8 show that the bracket 100 comprises ametal bracket that may be formed from a single flat metal plate usingmetal stamping. That is, the bracket 100 comprises one, single,integrated piece of flat metal formed into a bracket.

FIGS. 1 through 8 show that the bracket 100 comprises a central planarelement 102 that extends vertically upwards from a horizontal baseplanar element 106, such that the central planar element 102 isperpendicular to the horizontal base planar element 106. Note that thecentral planar element has a smaller width than the width of the baseplanar element 106 and the central planar element is stated within thewidth of the base planar element 106. The central planar element 102 hasa distal side where the arms 120, 122 are located and a proximal sidewhere the lip 104 is located. The central planar element 102 furthercomprises a substantially square shape. The horizontal planar elementfurther comprises a planar element with a substantially U-shapedfootprint, as shown in top view of FIG. 4 .

On the proximal side of the central planar element 102 is a lip 104 thatextends vertically upwards from the horizontal base planar element 106,such that the lip 104 is perpendicular to the horizontal base planarelement 106 and the lip is parallel to the central planar element 102.Note that the lip 104 has a height smaller than the height of thecentral planar element 102. Note also that the lip 104 may include aslight concave shape, which aids in applying pressure to the materialplaced within the gap 111, which is explained in greater detail below.The side of the lip 104 that faces outwards away from the device 100 isconcave in the sense that is curves inwards and is hollowed out. Theside of the lip 104 that faces inwards towards gap 111 is convex in thesense that it curves outwards. The portion of lip 104 that curvesoutwards towards gap 111 presents a protruding surface (i.e., theinside-facing surface of lip 104) that applies pressure to the materialplaced within the gap, such as the fascia 1208, as shown in FIGS. 13-14.

On the distal side of the central planar element 102 are a pair of arms120, 122. Each arm comprises extends substantially vertically upwardsfrom the horizontal base planar element 106, such that each arm issubstantially perpendicular to the horizontal base planar element 106and each arm is substantially parallel to the central planar element102. In another embodiment, each arm extends upwards and deviates about25 degrees from the vertical or 115 degrees from the horizontal baseplanar element 106. Note that as shown in FIGS. 3-6 , the arms 120, 122are located on the sides of the central planar element 102, such thatwhen viewed form the top (see FIG. 4 ), the plane of the arms do notoverlap with the plane of the element 102. The same applies to thecatching tabs.

At the top of each arm is a catching tab, which is a short flat planarelement that extends inwards (in the proximal direction) such that eachcatching tab is perpendicular to the corresponding arm. Arm 120 includesa catching tab 120 a that extends inwards such that catching tab 120 ais perpendicular to the arm 120. Arm 122 includes a catching tab 122 athat extends inwards such that catching tab 122 a is perpendicular tothe arm 122.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show that the bracket 100 includes a gap 155 that exists,and is defined, between the central planar element 102 and the arms 122,122. The gap 155 is configured in size and shape to accept a piece ofconstruction material that has been wrapped one or multiple times in aroof cover membrane, as explained in greater detail below. The gap 155is configured to securely and removably attach to construction materialthat has been wrapped one or multiple times in a roof cover membrane.The gap 155 is configured to accept, and create a friction fit with,construction material that has been wrapped one or multiple times in aroof cover membrane. FIGS. 7 and 8 also show that the bracket 100includes a gap 111 that exists, and is defined, between the centralplanar element 102 and the lip 104. The gap 111 is configured in sizeand shape to accept a piece of fascia of the structure being covered, asexplained in greater detail below. The gap 111 is configured to securelyand removably attach to the fascia of the structure. The gap 111 isconfigured to accept, and create a friction fit with, a piece of fasciaof the structure being covered.

On each arm is a pointy protrusion, which is a flat planar element witha point that extends inwards (in the proximal direction) such that eachpointy protrusion is perpendicular to the corresponding arm. Arm 120includes a pointy protrusion 140 that extends inwards such that pointyprotrusion 140 is perpendicular to the arm 120. Arm 122 includes apointy protrusion 142 that extends inwards such that pointy protrusion142 is perpendicular to the arm 122. Each pointy protrusion pointsinwards towards the gap 155 and aids in attaching the bracket 100 to apiece of construction material that has been wrapped one or multipletimes in a roof cover membrane, as explained in greater detail below.Each pointy protrusion is configured to pierce and couple toconstruction material that has been wrapped one or multiple times in aroof cover membrane.

On each arm is an orifice cause by the making of the pointy protrusion,since each pointy protrusion is a piece of flat metal that has beenstamped out of the corresponding arm. Orifice 120 is made from themaking of pointy protrusion 140 in the arm 120. Arm 122 includes orifice132 made from the making of pointy protrusion 142. Each orifice takesthe shape of the pointy protrusion which may be a triangular shape.

The pair of arms 120, 122 are configured to rotate about the vertexwhere the pair of arms 120, 122 meet the horizontal base planar element106 when enough force or pressure is place against the pair of arms,such as a hammer blow. This is shown in FIG. 14 below. When the arms aremoved in such a manner, they no longer deviate about 25 degrees from thevertical or 115 degrees from the horizontal base planar element 106.When the arms are moved in such a manner, they deviate about 10 degreesfrom the vertical or 80 degrees from the horizontal base planar element106.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of a perspective view of a residentialstructure 900 with a damaged roof 902, as the proposed system and methodfor temporary protection of a damaged roof is applied, according to oneembodiment. The proposed system utilizes a water impermeable membranethat is not heat shrinkable. Further, the membrane may be self-adhesiveand may meld with a membrane of the same type. That is, when two piecesof said membrane are placed adjacent to, or contacting, one another, thetwo pieces of the membrane may meld together or adhere to each other andbecome one integrated portion of water impermeable membrane. The waterimpermeable membrane may be used in a variety of thicknesses, clarities,strengths and shrink ratios. The water impermeable membrane may comprisea linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), which is a substantiallylinear polymer (polyethylene), with significant numbers of shortbranches, commonly made by copolymerization of ethylene withlonger-chain olefins. LLDPE polymer has a narrower molecular weightdistribution than conventional LDPE and in combination with the linearstructure, significantly different rheological properties. The membranemay be a High Performance Blown Extrusion film that has superiorelasticity and tear resistance, as well as slip resistant and clings toitself.

The membrane may be a large-width, single-ply temporary membranecomprising a sheet of a linear low density polyetheylene (LLDPE) havinga modulus of elasticity of at least 4 megapascals and a stretchpercentage of at least 5% (alternatively, 10% and 50%), wherein saidsheet is self-adhering with a tensile adhesion strength of at least 1pound per square inch (psi) when adhered to itself, and wherein saidsheet is water impermeable and ultraviolet (UV) light resistant.

An elastic modulus (also known as modulus of elasticity) is the unit ofmeasurement of the membrane's resistance to being deformed elastically(i.e., non-permanently) when a stress is applied to it. Elastic modulusis calculated as stress divided by strain, wherein stress is the forcecausing the deformation divided by the area to which the force isapplied, and strain is the ratio of the change in the length of themembrane caused by the deformation to the original value of theparameter. Since strain is a dimensionless quantity, the units ofelastic modulus are the same as the units of stress. Stretch percentageis the percentage the membrane increases in size when stretched to itsmaximum. Tensile adhesion strength is the ability of a material toresist loads under stress or deformation, without failure. The membraneexhibits elastic memory so its able to stretch to a point for attachmentto a structure (see FIG. 12 ) but also tends to return to its originalshape and size when at rest. When stretched and attached to a structure,the membrane remains tight for up to a full year without uplift ortearing.

In one embodiment, the membrane has a thickness of 12 mils and has acoefficient of friction of 0.4. In another embodiment, the membrane hasa tear strength of at least 220 grams force per mil and a tensilestrength of at least 3100 psi or at least 220 g/mil. Tear strength isdefined as the energy required to tear apart a specimen of standardgeometry. Tear strength is a measure of how well a material canwithstand the effects of tearing. Tensile strength is the maximum stressthat a material can withstand while being stretched or pulled beforebreaking.

In one embodiment, the membrane has a dart impact strength of at least3100 psi or at least 100 g/mil. Dart impact strength is determined basedon conducting a dart impact test performed on films and laminates todetermine the effect of free-falling darts on the film or laminate. Theenergy created by the falling dart causes the film or laminate to failunder some specified conditions. The test is performed to assess thedurability and strength of the film or laminate. In another embodiment,the membrane is ultraviolet (UV) light resistant for at least 24 monthsand is flame retardant, such as Class A ASTM E84 Certification with zeroflame spread, which refers to a Flame Spread Index of 0. In yet anotherembodiment, the membrane is configured to securely attach to anadhesive.

The water impermeable membrane may be provided in rolls 910 of a certainwidth. In one embodiment, each roll 910 of the water impermeablemembrane comprises a width of about 24 to 48 inches, with each rollprovided from about 40 feet to about 120 feet of length of the waterimpermeable membrane. FIG. 9 shows that several rolls 910 of theimpermeable membrane have been placed on top of the damaged roof 902 ofthe residential structure 900. Each roll 910 is unrolled on top of thedamaged roof 902 in the same direction and the sides of each unrolledstrip of impermeable membrane are placed adjacent to another unrolledstrip of impermeable membrane, such that the sides of each unrolledstrip are coupled with the sides of the unrolled strips adjacent, asdescribed more fully below.

In one alternative embodiment, strips, or portions of, the rolls 910 arecut from the roll before they are placed on top of the damaged roof 902of the residential structure 900. In this embodiment, a length ofimpermeable membrane is cut from the roll, and subsequently placed ontop of the damaged roof 902 of the residential structure 900. In thisembodiment, workers measure the length of impermeable membrane neededfor the roof, and subsequently, said measured length of impermeablemembrane is cut from the roll, and then placed on top of the damagedroof 902 of the residential structure 900.

FIG. 10 is an illustration of a perspective view of the residentialstructure 900 with a damaged roof 902, as the proposed system and methodfor temporary protection of a damaged roof is further applied, accordingto one embodiment. FIG. 10 shows multiple rolls 910 of the impermeablemembrane have been placed on top of the damaged roof 902 of theresidential structure 900 in order to protect said roof, and thecontents of the residential structure 900, from further damage or decayfrom precipitation, wind, etc. FIG. 10 shows that each roll 910 isunrolled, either fully or partially, on top of the damaged roof 902 inthe same direction. FIG. 10 also shows that the sides of each unrolledstrip 1002 of impermeable membrane are placed adjacent to anotherunrolled strip 1004 of impermeable membrane. More specifically, FIG. 10shows that the sides of each unrolled strip 1002 of impermeable membraneare placed so as to overlap (by about 3 to 8 inches, preferably 5inches) with the sides of the adjacent unrolled strip 1004 ofimpermeable membrane. In one embodiment, each unrolled strip 1002 ofimpermeable membrane are placed so as to overlap with the sides of theadjacent unrolled strip 1004 of impermeable membrane by exactly 5inches. Subsequently, the sides of each unrolled strip are coupled withthe sides of the unrolled strips adjacent, as described more fullybelow. Again, in one alternative embodiment, strips, or portions of, therolls 910 are cut from the roll before they are placed on top of thedamaged roof 902 of the residential structure 900.

FIG. 11 is an illustration showing construction material 1102 in theprocess of being wrapped in the impermeable membrane 1104, as theproposed system and method for temporary protection of a damaged roof isapplied, according to an example embodiment. In FIG. 11 , theconstruction material 1102 is a piece of lumber, which is a type of woodthat has been processed into beams and planks. A plank, i.e., a woodplank or plank of wood, is timber that is flat, elongated, andrectangular with parallel faces that are higher and longer than wide.Planks are usually more than 1½ in (38 mm) thick and are generally widerthan 2½ in (64 mm). Planks can be any length and are generally a minimumof 2 in (51 mm) deep by 8 in (200 mm) wide, but planks that are 2 in (51mm) by 10 in (250 mm) and 2 in (51 mm) by 12 in (300 mm) are morecommon. In one embodiment, the construction material 1102 is a woodplank that measures 2 in×4 in, 2 in×6 in, 2 in×8 in, or 2 in×12 in. Inone embodiment, the construction material 302 is a wood plank thatmeasures 1′×2′×8′.

In other embodiments, the construction material 1102 may be other items,such as portions of metal siding, portions of roof tile, etc. FIG. 11shows the roll 910 of impermeable membrane has been unrolled to such alength that the end of the unrolled strip 1002 overhangs the eaves ofthe damaged roof 902 of the residential structure. FIG. 11 shows thatthe end of the unrolled strip 1002 (which was rolled around theconstruction material 1102) has been attached to the constructionmaterial 1102 via one or more fasteners 1109, which is a staple. In oneembodiment, T50 ⅜′ galvanized steel staples are placed 4 inches apart onthe end of the unrolled strip 1002. In another embodiment, exactly 24staples are placed on the end of the unrolled strip 1002 per instance(or plank) of construction material 1102, so as to attach the unrolledstrip to the construction material. Other types of fasteners may be usedto attach the construction material 1102 to the end of the unrolledstrip 1002, such as nails, clips, screws, etc. Also, adhesive may beused to attach the construction material 1102 to the end of the unrolledstrip 1002. FIG. 11 shows that the construction material 1102 has beenwrapped in the end of the unrolled strip 1002 in a clockwise 1119direction so that the open end of the roll faces downwards.

In an alternative embodiment, the construction material 1102 is aflexible piece of plastic strip that is available in a coiled form in50-foot coils. The plastic, which may be regrind plastic, is uncoiledfor use as the construction material for attaching to the roof. Theplastic strip may be a flexible, elongated band of material. The plasticstrip is wrapped in the end of the unrolled strip 1002 as describedabove, and the unrolled strip is attached to the plastic strip asdescribed above. Said plastic strip is smaller than wood planks, easierto store, flexible for use in different shapes and allows work crews towork more efficiently. In one alternative embodiment, the plastic stripis not wrapped in the end of the unrolled strip 1002, as describedabove, rather, the outward edge of the end of the unrolled strip 1002 isattached to the plastic strip either using adhesive tape, adhesive orusing a fastener 1109, as described above.

FIG. 12 is an illustration showing construction material 1102 completelywrapped in the impermeable membrane 1104 and attached to the damagedroof 902, as the proposed system and method for temporary protection ofa damaged roof is applied, according to an example embodiment. FIG. 12shows the roll 910 of impermeable membrane had been unrolled to such alength that the end of the unrolled strip 1002 overhangs the eaves 1209of the damaged roof 902, so as to be applied to the constructionmaterial 1102. FIG. 12 shows that the construction material 1102 hasbeen wrapped in the end of the unrolled strip 1002, which overhangs theeaves 1209 of the damaged roof 902. Note that the construction material1102 is attached to the vertical, outward-facing fascia 1208 of theeaves of the roof using the bracket 100. Before the constructionmaterial 1102 is attached to the vertical, outward-facing fascia 1208 ofthe eaves of the roof using the bracket 100, the unrolled strip 1002 ispulled and stretched, such that when attached to the fascia, the strip1002 is stretched and under a tensile load. In one embodiment, eachinstance of the construction material 1102 is spaced 4 inches apart fromthe next instance of the construction material on the fascia 1208 of theeaves of the roof, around the entire perimeter of the roof. Throughtesting, the applicant discovered that less than 4 inches would resultin a roof not being properly vented and more than 4 inches would not besecure (waterproof) enough.

In an alternative embodiment where the construction material 1102 is aflexible piece of plastic strip, the plastic is uncoiled for use as theconstruction material for attaching to the roof, and the plastic stripis attached to the vertical, outward-facing fascia 1208 of the eaves ofthe roof as described above.

FIG. 12 shows the construction material 1102 is attached to thevertical, outward-facing fascia 1208 of the eaves of the roof using thebracket 100. In another alternative embodiment, the constructionmaterial 1102 may be attached to the top of the roof (see FIG. 1 ), thedownward facing surface under the eaves of the roof, or the verticalwall supporting the roof. In these alternative embodiments, theconstruction material 1102 may be attached using fasteners (or theirequivalent, as described below), adhesive tape or simply adhesive.

FIG. 13 is an illustration of a side view of the bracket 100 while FIG.14 shows the bracket in an engaged orientation. FIGS. 13-14 show across-sectional view of construction material 1102 completely wrapped inthe impermeable membrane 1104 and attached to the fascia 1208 of thedamaged roof 902, as the proposed system and method for temporaryprotection of a damaged roof is applied, according to an exampleembodiment. FIG. 5 shows that the construction material 1102 has beenwrapped in the end of the unrolled strip 1102, which overhangs the eavesof the damaged roof 902. The construction material 1102 may be wrappedsuch that the end of the unrolled strip 1104 completely surrounds theconstruction material 1 time, 2 times, or 3-4 times. I.e., in oneembodiment, construction material 1102 is wrapped 1 time, 2 times, or3-4 times in the end of the unrolled strip. In another embodiment, theconstruction material 1102 may be wrapped such that the end of theunrolled strip 1104 is wrapped one half turn around the constructionmaterial (i.e., it surrounds 180 degrees of the outside perimeter of thecross section of the construction material).

FIG. 13 shows that the construction material 1102 wrapped in themembrane 1104 has been placed in the gap 155 and the fascia 1208 hasbeen inserted into the gap 111 of the bracket 100. The pair of arms 120,122 of the bracket are configured to rotate about the vertex where thepair of arms 120, 122 meet the horizontal base planar element 106 whenenough force or pressure is place against the pair of arms, such as ahammer blow.

FIG. 14 shows that when the arms are moved in such a manner, they nolonger deviate about 25 degrees from the vertical or 115 degrees fromthe horizontal base planar element 106. When the arms are moved in sucha manner, FIG. 14 shows that they deviate about 10 degrees from thevertical or 80 degrees from the horizontal base planar element 106. FIG.14 shows that after the arms are moved, the pointy protrusion 140 haspierced and coupled to the construction material 1102 wrapped in themembrane 1104. This secures the construction material 1102 wrapped inthe membrane 1104 within the gap 155. FIG. 14 shows that the end of theunrolled strip 1104 (after wrapping the construction material 1102) hasbeen attached to the construction material 1102 via a fastener 140,which is a pointy protrusion. FIG. 14 further shows that the bracket 100has been attached to the fascia 1208 of the roof via a fiction fit withthe gap 111 of the bracket 100.

In one embodiment, the method or process of attaching the ends of theunrolled strip 1004 to the eaves of the damaged roof 902 occurs asfollows. A first unrolled strip of the impermeable membrane is drapedover the roof 902, wherein the end of the strip overhangs the eaves ofthe roof. Then, a wood plank is placed horizontally under the end of thestrip that overhangs the eaves of the roof, such that the wood plank isplaced below the eaves of the roof. The wood plank is placed far enoughbelow the eaves of the roof such that when the wood plank is rolled upin the end of the strip (described below), the wood plank is at theheight of the fascia of the eaves of the roof. Next, the left and rightsides of the strip are cut vertically such that the strip is coextensivewith a length of the wood plank. The end of the strip is also cuthorizontally below the wood plank. That is, assuming the wood plank isplaced horizontally so that it is parallel with the fascia of the eavesof the roof, a vertical cut is placed in the end of the strip on theleft of the wood plank, a vertical cut in placed in the end of the stripon the right of the wood plank, and a horizontal cut is placed in theend of the strip below the wood plank.

In an alternative embodiment where the construction material 1102 is aflexible piece of plastic strip (wherein the plastic is uncoiled for useas the construction material for attaching to the roof, and the plasticstrip is attached to the vertical, outward-facing fascia 1208 of theeaves of the roof), the plastic strip is placed horizontally under theend of the membrane strip that overhangs the eaves of the roof, suchthat the plastic strip is placed below the eaves of the roof. Theplastic strip is placed far enough below the eaves of the roof such thatwhen the plastic strip is rolled up in the end of the membrane strip(described below), the plastic strip is at the height of the fascia ofthe eaves of the roof. The left and right sides of the membrane stripare not necessarily cut vertically. The end of the membrane strip may becut horizontally below the plastic strip. That is, assuming the plasticstrip is placed horizontally so that it is parallel with the eaves ofthe roof, a horizontal cut is placed in the end of the membrane stripbelow the plastic strip. There is no need to cut the membrane stripvertically because the plastic strip may be extended beyond the left andright edges of the membrane strip.

In another alternative embodiment where the construction material 1102is a flexible piece of plastic strip (wherein the plastic is uncoiledfor use as the construction material for attaching to the roof, and theplastic strip is attached to the vertical, outward-facing fascia 1208 ofthe structure), the plastic strip is placed horizontally under the endof the membrane strip. The left and right sides of the membrane stripare not necessarily cut vertically. The end of the membrane strip may becut horizontally below the plastic strip. That is, assuming the plasticstrip is placed horizontally so that it is parallel with the end of themembrane strip, a horizontal cut may or may not be placed in the end ofthe membrane strip below the plastic strip. There is no need to cut themembrane strip vertically because the plastic strip may be extendedbeyond the left and right edges of the membrane strip. Then, the end ofthe membrane strip may be attached to the plastic strip using afastener, adhesive tape or simply adhesive. Subsequently, the unrolledstrip is pulled and stretched so as to place the strip under a tensileload, the construction material 1102 wrapped in membrane is attached tothe bracket 100 and the bracket is attached to fascia 408 of thestructure (while the strip is still stretched).

Returning to the wood plank embodiment, the wood plank may be fastenedto the end of the strip using a plurality of staples. Next, the woodplank is rolled one half turn (180 degree turn), one full turn (360degrees), two full turns (720 degrees), or three full turns in the endof the strip, such that the wood plank is at a height of the fascia ofthe eaves of the roof. Then, the unrolled strip is pulled and stretchedso as to place the strip under a tensile load, the wood plank that wasrolled in the end of the strip is attached to bracket 100 (as shown inFIG. 13 ) and the bracket is attached the fascia of the eaves of theroof (as shown in FIG. 14 ) while the strip remains under a tensileload. Further, each strip of the impermeable membrane that has beendraped over the roof is placed such that it overlaps at least fiveinches with each adjacent strip of the impermeable membrane that hasbeen draped over the roof. The steps above are repeated until the entireroof is covered in the impermeable membrane.

FIG. 15 is an illustration of a perspective view of the residentialstructure 900 with a damaged roof 902, showing the proposed system andmethod for temporary protection of a damaged roof completely applied,according to one embodiment. FIG. 15 shows that multiple rolls 910 ofthe impermeable membrane have been draped on top of the damaged roof 902of the residential structure 900 in the same direction, such that theentire roof is covered in the impermeable membrane. FIG. 15 shows thatthe construction material 1102 on the eaves of the roof has been wrappedin the end of the unrolled strip in a clockwise direction so that theopen end of the roll faces downwards. This reduces or eliminates thepooling of water in the open end of the roll. FIG. 15 shows that theconstruction material 1102 has been attached to the roof using aplurality of brackets 100.

Said process described above for waterproofing a structure can also beused to provide wall insulation for a wall of a structure, to providedust barriers for a structure, to provide waterproofing of a structureduring construction, to provide waterproofing of a structure underconstruction that is lacking exterior windows, doors, and walls, and forcontainment of the interior of buildings. Said process described abovefor waterproofing a structure can also be used to provide a separationin the interior of buildings or warehouses for smaller temporary roomsfor security or temperature control.

Note that although FIG. 15 shows that the entire top of the roof of thestructure has been completely covered by the impermeable membrane, theclaimed embodiments support a process wherein only a predeterminedportion, or subset, of the top of the roof of the structure has beencovered by the impermeable membrane. This embodiment works in caseswhere only a portion of the roof has been damaged and saves the time andexpense of covering the entire roof, which may not be necessary.

Embodiments may be described above with reference to functions or acts,which comprise methods. The functions/acts noted above may occur out ofthe order as shown or described. For example, two functions/acts shownor described in succession may in fact be executed substantiallyconcurrently or the functions/acts may sometimes be executed in thereverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved. Whilecertain embodiments have been described, other embodiments may exist.Further, the disclosed methods' functions/acts may be modified in anymanner, including by reordering functions/acts and/or inserting ordeleting functions/acts, without departing from the spirit of theclaimed subject matter.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above.

Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed asexample forms of implementing the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A large-width, single-ply temporary membrane fora roof comprising: a sheet of a linear low density polyetheylene (LLDPE)having a modulus of elasticity of at least 4 megapascals and a stretchpercentage of at least 5%; wherein said sheet is self-adhering with atensile adhesion strength of at least 1 psi when adhered to itself; andwherein said sheet is water impermeable and ultraviolet (UV) lightresistant.
 2. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said membrane has athickness of 12 mils.
 3. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said membranehas a coefficient of friction of 0.4.
 4. The membrane of claim 1,wherein said membrane as a tear strength of at least 220 grams force permil.
 5. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said membrane as a tensilestrength of at least 3100 psi.
 6. The membrane of claim 1, wherein saidmembrane as a dart impact strength of at least 3100 psi.
 7. The membraneof claim 1, wherein said membrane is ultraviolet (UV) light resistantfor at least 24 months.
 8. The membrane of claim 1, wherein saidmembrane is flame retardant.
 9. The membrane of claim 1, wherein saidsheet is at least 4 feet wide.
 10. The membrane of claim 1, wherein saidsheet is configured to securely attach to an adhesive.
 11. Alarge-width, single-ply temporary membrane for a roof comprising: asheet of a linear low density polyetheylene (LLDPE) having a modulus ofelasticity of at least 4 megapascals and a stretch percentage of atleast 5%; wherein said sheet is self-adhering with a tensile adhesionstrength of at least 1 psi when adhered to itself; and wherein saidsheet is water impermeable, ultraviolet (UV) light resistant and has aFlame Spread Index of
 0. 12. The membrane of claim 11, wherein saidmembrane has a thickness of 12 mils.
 13. The membrane of claim 11,wherein said membrane has a coefficient of friction of 0.4.
 14. Themembrane of claim 11, wherein said membrane as a tear strength of atleast 220 grams force per mil.
 15. The membrane of claim 11, whereinsaid membrane as a tensile strength of at least 3100 psi.
 16. Themembrane of claim 11, wherein said membrane as a dart impact strength ofat least 3100 psi.
 17. The membrane of claim 11, wherein said membraneis ultraviolet (UV) light resistant for at least 24 months.
 18. Themembrane of claim 11, wherein said sheet is at least 4 feet wide. 19.The membrane of claim 11, wherein said sheet is configured to securelyattach to an adhesive.